An Iron Shadow
by OrtaIV
Summary: Fuzh was always more than compliant with the acts of Team Plasma and as a sage, was eager to please his Lord N. However, when their actions push Fuzh a little beyond his comfort level, he decided to take things into his own hands.
1. MindJack

-1-Mind-Jack-

"Empoleon, you're done."

An accomplished Dusclops gently floated back down to earth, as Fuzh's Empoleon stood exhausted. Fuzh pointed his poke ball at the armored Pokemon and squeezed tightly. A beam of red light emanated from the circle separating the top and bottom half of the poke ball, aimed directly at Empoleon. When the light made contact with the Pokemon, she began to de-materialize. Empoleon was absorbed back into her ball, and Fuzh gripped it tight. He stared down at the ball, his long wavy hair covering his eyes from his opponent. After what seemed like hours, he re-attached the ball to his belt, and quickly snatched the next one in line. It was his last. He snapped his head up, swaying his hair to the back of his head, and held the new poke ball out in front of him. A fierce trainer and an eager Dusclops watched.

"You're needed, Magnezone."

A familiar red light shot out from the center of the ball, but this time it was to summon a Pokemon, not recall one. When the light began to take shape, what seemed to be a dish began to form. The metal dome floated just off the surface of the floor, and two magnet shaped objects materialized on either side of it. The red light faded, and Magnezone appeared on the battlefield. It floated just in front of its trainer, its eye showing its eager emotion.

"Ha! You fool! A steel and electric-type like Magnezone won't stand a chance against one Earthquake from Dusclops!" The opposing trainer beamed with a new confidence. "Dusclops, Earthquake! End it!" Dusclops's eyes began to glow, and its body began to shake. It slowly floated down towards the ground, its body shaking violently. Since Dusclops was a ghost-type Pokemon, it could not physically create an earthquake. Instead, it shook its body using psychic energy, and sent a shockwave out, increasing in magnitude as it got farther away. Dusclops did just that. As it floated mere centimeters above the ground, its arms thrust forward, the palms of its hands facing Magnezone. The shockwave burst forward at an unparalleled speed, flying towards Magnezone. "Haha! It's over already!"

"Magnezone. Magnet Rise." Magnezone began to glow a bright yellow, and lifted off the ground. About 2 feet in the air, the shockwave produced by Dusclops passed underneath it, causing it no harm.

"What? You're Magnezone knows that?"

"Magnezone. Thunderbolt." Without hesitation after lifting off the ground, the dome shaped Pokemon cast a mighty thunderbolt at the Dusclops. The ghost reared in pain and moved back, but did so very slowly.

"That's it! Dusclops, Shadow Punch!" Dusclops nodded, but did not move. Its body was unable to make an attempt at Magnezone. Static pulsed around the Pokemon's body, and its trainer's eyes grew wide. Dusclops was paralyzed.

Magnezone's eye began to frantically scan back and forth, looking all over Dusclops as if trying to find a weak spot. The trainer caught sight of the eye, and panicked.

"Wait a minute, that's Lock On! You didn't tell it to do that!"

"Indeed, I didn't. Magnezone and I have been together from the beginning. Through vigorous training, I've learned that Magnezone send out magnetic pulses when they use their attacks. These pulses are on a frequency very similar to our own thoughts." Magnezone began to glow a bright yellow, with an electric ball forming at each of the magnets on its sides. "Through practice, my Magnezone has learned to emit his pulses on the same frequency as my own thoughts. He can also receive them on the same frequency."

"Y…you mean…"

"Indeed. My Magnezone can read my mind." Magnezone began to spark, and the two electricity balls shot off static beams in front of it. The beams formed a much larger ball, and Magnezone's eye arched downward to form a more menacing expression.

"Z-Z…Zap…"

"Go ahead. Say it." The electricity ball pulsed, and grew three times its already enormous size. "I don't need to." The giant ball of pure electric energy went flying at Dusclops. Due to the Pokemon's paralysis, it could not move or make the slightest attempt to block it. It hit Dusclops head on, and the ghost was thrown backwards. It hit the ground with a thud, and was knocked unconscious. The opposing trainer could only stare wide-eyed at his Pokemon. What had just happened was not possible. He ran to his Dusclops and hugged it on the ground while Fuzh walked up to his Magnezone. He placed a hand on the shiny exterior of it, and stood with a smug look on his face. "You aren't worthy to call yourself a trainer. The whole lot of you disgust me. Let's fix that. Magnezone, Thunder Wave." The Magnezone's eye arched down again, as it let out a light burst of static. It hit the trainer directly, and after a brief yelp of pain he lay motionless. He was not dead, but he was unable to move.

"You monster…what are you going to do? Leave me alone!" The trainer tried to break free, but the Magnezone's static proved more powerful than expected.

"Oh don't worry. You'll be fine." Fuzh grabbed an extra poke ball from his belt. He held it out towards the Dusclops and squeezed. The same red light emerged and hurtled through the air towards the fallen Pokemon, and in the same way de-materialized it and sucked it in. With the Dusclops captive, Fuzh turned and began to walk away. "Pokemon should not have to work for such low-class trainers like you. Only the truly remarkable are worthy of their partnership." He glanced to the left at Magnezone. "Come, we have a report to make to Lord N. I'm sure this will get me our Lord's favoritism." He walked with Magnezone at his side, as the trainer lay still, unable to move and now, unable to speak. He could only watch as his best friend was carried away from him.


	2. Turning

-2-Turning-

Fuzh had finally returned home. Climbing the massive flight of stairs leading up to the castle was never an easy task, yet he did so every day. Something was not right. Normally there would be Team Plasma members lining the outside of the castle, protecting it like ants would protect their den. Fuzh couldn't help but chuckle at his comparison, since most grunts were so brainwashed and empty minded that they did indeed follow like a pack of ants. His new trail of thought led him away from his previous concerns, so he headed up the stairs at a slower, calmer pace. His feeling of relaxation was short-lived however, for when he walked inside there was not a soul in sight. The castle foyer was usually jam packed with people. Grunts getting from one place to another doing a job, and the occasional sage who would only pass through when necessary. Today, for a reason unknown to him, it was empty. Fuzh kept calm as he glanced around, seeking some kind of clue that might tell him what was going on. The only clue he received was not visible. Instead, his ears rang with the sound of shouting, and shortly after the echoes of combat. He could not recognize the first voice, but when another human shouted back, his heart skipped a beat.

"Lord N." Fuzh said out loud. From the sound of combat being so light, he assumed they were very high up in the building. "Magnezone, our master needs us." Fuzh held up his poke ball towards the Magnezone and returned it to its ball. He broke out into a sprint, dashing up the stairs at a lightning fast pace. As he raced up the stairs and down the long hallways that lay between them, he began to question the design of the castle. Finally he reached the top floor, and caught sight of his Lord N's door. Along with the door however, he also discovered why the castle had been so empty on his way up. Almost every Team Plasma member who resided here in the castle had crowded around the heavy metal door, some pressed against it trying to hear what was inside. "You." Fuzh said directed at the grunts. They all turned and froze with fear. "Return to where you belong. Your business here is ill important." The grunts bowed quickly and bolted in different directions. Fuzh was not the largest of the sages, or even the strongest; but to the grunts, he was the most respected. Fuzh ran his hand along his belt, making sure he had the Dusclops, Emboar, and Bronzong with him still. After double checking, he placed a hand on the door to N's throne room, and pushed it open.

There he was. A Scrafty laying a few feet in front of him, battered and bruised. The boy stood, mouth agape, not saying anything. This was a mere child! Fuzh couldn't believe it.

The child protected his Scrafty with his life. Such devotion…a shame it had to be wasted on one of the trainers. Fuzh looked around and noticed only two other sages in the room with them.

"Where are the others?" Fuzh's attention was brought back to the boy. "Could this child have…beaten them?" He ran out towards his master. "Lord N." He addressed as he knelt down in front of him. "I have recovered the Dusclops you requested. The trainer was…complicated, but was no trouble."

N didn't even look at Fuzh. He merely stared at the child he had just defeated with full attention. His long green hair flowed with the gentle breeze coming from the hole in the wall, no doubt made by the entrance of Zekrom, who loomed behind his master, and his right hand held the poke ball he would use to capture Scrafty. After some consideration, he looked down at Fuzh and re-attached the ball to his belt. "Very good. Your work is once again excellent." He took the ball from Fuzh. "Always on time, you are." He made eye contact with him for the first time in a long time. "I have a favor to ask you."

"My lord…a favor? Of me?" Fuzh retorted, somewhat shocked.

"Indeed. This child has given me trouble. He possesses no real strength, though his Pokemon are very formidable. Take him to our holding chambers and strip him of his—." His gaze went back up, finding the boy hugging his Scrafty. "His friends." N pushed past the still kneeling Fuzh and walked away. The sound of his footsteps slowly dimmed away and Fuzh stood up. He turned and watched his master as he walked towards his Zekrom, standing menacingly in the background. "Come Zekrom", N said, "we have demands to make." The mighty dragon lifted him up and put N on his back, then turned towards the edge of the balcony. With one swift motion, he took off into flight, leaving a shockwave and slight trail behind him. Fuzh stared for a moment, then turned and looked at the other sages. He nodded, and proceeded towards the defeated child. He stood over him and stared. The child seemed to not notice he was there. Fuzh took the time to get a closer look at the boy who had so bravely challenged his master. When he walked onto the roof, the boy was cloaked in a black hoodie. That same garment was now wrapped around the arm of Scrafty. He marveled at how much care the trainer had for his Pokemon. Enough. He could not be lost in emotion. He cleared his throat, and the boy flinched, looking up at him.

"Calm down." The boy pulled his Scrafty with him as he scooted back. Fuzh outstretched a hand. "Relax child. No harm will come to you. Come with us, do as we say, and you can leave here today with no worries."

The trainer did not speak, but his eyes did so for him. He glared into Fuzh's eyes with a fire that told his story. This boy had been through hell and back to get where he was today, and he wouldn't begin trusting Team Plasma just because one of their members was calmer than the usual grunt. Fuzh couldn't blame him. Still, he held his hand out.

"Back off. I may have lost, but I don't care. You Team Plasma jerks can go jump after your 'master' if you follow him so blindly. I'm not going anywhere with the likes of you."

Fuzh seemed a bit shocked. "Harsh words. Lord N made the right choice in battling you." Fuzh rose to his feet and took his hand back. "Fine then. Have it your way." He stared down at the boy for quite some time, as if expecting a response. When he received none, he turned away and looked towards the sages, his white hair flowing in front of his face and blocking his eyes. The sages began to walk towards him and he matched their step, approaching them without making eye contact. As they passed by each other, he noticed that one of the sages carried a chain. No doubt to bind the boy. In a barely audible whisper, he spoke. "Bring him to the holding chambers. Lord N has demanded it." He seemed finished, but did not budge further. He opened his mouth and uttered some final words. "…don't hurt him."

He reached the stairs, turned, and watched as the other sages handled the boy and his Scrafty. They did not at all attempt to leave him safe, wrestling him further to the ground and tying his arms in the chains they were carrying. When they had him in order, they each took an arm and dragged him towards the door. Fuzh looked down and shook his head.

He proceeded ahead of them and descended slowly, trying to take his time. As he walked along, passing through the hallways and descending down the stairs, he couldn't help but glance into each room he passed. They all looked the same. The castle had changed so much since he first got here when N noticed his potential. He didn't feel at home anymore. No matter. He had a job to do, emotions were just getting in the way. He got to the room they were headed to first, and heard the rambling of shackles draw near. As he looked back down the hallway, he saw the sages dragging the boy along slowly. He had been bound in chains by his arms. Fuzh could only shiver. Treating a mere boy like this. It wasn't like them. This wasn't how they treated their past prisoners.

Fuzh opened the heavy metal door to the large open room and led the others inside. They handled the boy roughly and almost threw him inside. Fuzh passed them a glare. The trainer winced and uttered.

"…I'm not giving up my Pokemon…"

Fuzh looked the boy up and down. The chains the sages had tied him in had dug deep into his skin. Blood ran down his arms, and Fuzh tried his best to show no emotion. In reality, he had felt himself coming closer to the boy, but he didn't know why. He was just another prisoner. This was just another job. And these were just more Pokemon waiting to be liberated. He remembered back to the battle in the throne room. Though he had not physically seen the battle, the sounds he heard suggested that the boy's Pokemon fought with vigor, courage, and a resolve unknown to him. Fuzh passed a glance down to his belt, scanning them one by one. His Pokemon had never let him down before. Showing them compassion surely only made them weaker. That is why the boy lost. He had the ability, but he was soft.

As Fuzh battled with his inner self, the middle sage caught glimpse of his worried expression.

"You. Snap out of it, and let's make this quick."

Fuzh snapped back to reality, jerking his head up to catch the gaze of the elder sage. He turned towards the door and placed one hand on it. He looked out into the hallway to find only empty space, nothing different than usual. Nothing ever changed. This was just another job… He let go of his concerns, and disappeared into the darkness of the room.


	3. Reflection

-3-Reflection-

The middle sage stepped forward. "We were ordered by Lord N to remove your Pokemon from your possession."

"I'll never do such a thing, my Pokemon mean more to me than anything, and I'll never betray them!"

The sage replied, "If you don't cooperate, we are prepared to use force." The sage swiftly snagged a poke ball from the inside of his tunic. It exuded a threatening black and Fuzh recognized it immediately. He was not approving of what might happen next.

The trainer paused for a moment, seeming to be lost in thought. Fuzh caught his eyes as they darted from the poke ball to the floor, then back to the ball. What would this trainer do, backed against a wall?

"Last chance. Give up the Pokemon or we will attack." The sages poke ball began to shake a little, reverberating a slight rumbling sound, and Fuzh's reflexes made him place a hand on his belt. He had experienced and witnessed the horrors in that ball far too many times. He was not yet prepared to see it again.

Sweat rolled off the trainer's face. He frantically searched around the room, not knowing just what to do. The sages merely stared awaiting his response.

Just when the sage was about to attack the trainer, a bright light radiated from the boy. At first, all were confused at what the source could be. Then when the light began to channel in front of him, it split off into six silhouettes. Fuzh brought up his arm to cover his eyes, the sage on the opposite side of the room turned to avoid the brightness, but the middle sage just stared straight. No light could pierce the darkness in his soul. He had no care for anything, and like the other sages, he showed no emotion. If Fuzh had ever seen an evil human being, it was this man whom he had to call a fellow sage.

The six Pokemon appeared in front of him, battered and bruised, some barely able to stand. They had released themselves from their poke balls and were ready to aid their trainer. Fuzh looked them each up and down, wondering what kind of devotion this was.

"W-wha?" The fallen trainer merely uttered. "You…you all want to fight for me? Even though you can barely stand?" The Pokemon let out a slight cry, trying to reassure their master.

To Fuzh, the cry sounded desperate, rather than helpful. Of the six, one thing caught his eye in particular. The Scrafty, who he had seen the trainer himself tending to as he walked onto the battlefield, still wore the hoodie-turned-bandage wrapped around her arm. She seemed to be protecting that arm, implying the injuries were still great. These Pokemon and this trainer were in no condition to fight. Fuzh was a sage. Fuzh was emotionless. Fuzh was supposed to be one of N's most faithful servants, and do as he wished without question or hesitation. Fuzh wanted to cry.

Never before had he seen such a bond between Pokemon and a trainer. "No…" He uttered under his breath so no one else could hear. "Pokemon do not like being owned by trainers…they want to be free…" Fuzh looked down at his belt and then across the room again at the Scrafty, who was now waving her arm at her master showing the hoodie. A thought crossed his mind, but he quickly discarded it. "Maybe this one is different…". Fuzh subtly shook his head to break free of this mind set.

Light reflected off of the trainer's eyes. A slight smile across his face. "You see that? Pokemon and humans CAN be friends. You can't separate us." Fuzh's attention was full. The trainer got to his knees. "We'll fight to the very end. Give us your worst."

Fuzh had secretly hoped it wouldn't come to this. The trainer clearly would do anything to defend his Pokemon. He tossed all other reason aside and grabbed a poke ball from his belt.

The other sages tossed their poke balls forward.

"Go Crawduant!"

"Tyranitar!"

Fuzh looked down, then turned his gaze to the poke balls that the other sages had thrown, flying through the air. This was happening.

"Bisharp, you're needed."


	4. Parting

-4-Parting-

Fuzh had never held back during a fight. Even now, as he faced this hindered child, he found himself pushing Bisharp to the limit, however unnecessary it may be. Fuzh's Pokemon landed back at his feet, and the fight was done. The six Pokemon could do nothing to defend themselves, though still they tried. While the other two sages showed no preference in their targets, Fuzh did everything he could to avoid attacking the trainer's Scrafty. He could sense the bond between her and her master, and just watching her take blows from the Crawdaunt and Tyranitar alike made him flinch.

The fight didn't last long. The exhausted six didn't stand a chance; beyond their limits, they could hardly pose a threat. All three of the sages Pokemon were still standing, not a scratch on them - they weren't even breathing hard. Each of the trainer's Pokemon were laying at the trainer's feet, wounded, bleeding, and out of energy. The trainer was on the verge of tears. The middle sage stepped forward, an evil stare in his eyes. "I think they've had enough. These Pokemon would never have known such pain had you not captured them. If you had left them alone in the wild, where they belong, they would have been far happier." The trainer glanced at his friends. They had fallen fighting for him, and he was close to the edge of his will power.

The sage shook his head in disappointment. "It's time."

The trainer lunged in front of his Pokemon with the last of his strength, catching Fuzh and the other sages off guard. "Never..." He hesitated. "Never! If you want to get to them, you'll have to get past me first!" The middle sage's Tyranitar stepped forward. The trainer's bravery faltered. No matter how much courage and willpower he had, the Tyranitar could shatter it with just a glance of its bloodthirsty eyes.

"If you do not step aside, we will not hesitate to move you ourselves."

The trainer regained his composure. "I don't care! I won't abandon my friends!" Sweat ran down the trainer's face as fear flickered in his eyes. The Tyranitar moved closer; the trainer stood his ground.

"Move out of the way foolish boy. This is your last chance." The Tyranitar let out a growl deep in its throat. Fuzh watched the trainer as he eyed his Pokemon up and down. Clearly he was at his breaking point; no soul could withstand what had happened in this room and continue to ask for more.

"...no..."

Fuzh's eyes grew wide as he screamed in his mind. The fool! He could have been spared! "Fool..." The sage turned around. "Tyranitar. Stone Edge." The Tyranitar growled, pulling its arms back. The trainer braced himself, spreading his arms in an attempt to shield his Pokemon from the vicious attack. Tyranitar's hands began to glow, conjuring horrid spikes. His Pokemon watched in horror as the Tyranitar heaved forward, shooting thousands of razor sharp stones from its hands. The trainer stood his ground. Time seemed to slow down as the bullet-like razors raked his body as they passed through him. Stone after stone pierced him one at a time, spilling the trainer's blood upon the floor and upon his stunned Pokemon. The Pokemon were petrified as they watched their master dying before them. Serperior, the trainer's first Pokemon, was quietly weeping as it felt its life-friend's blood splash upon its body.

Fuzh stood watching, though he would have given anything for the ability to turn away. He could not stand the thought of death. Countless times he had brought people misfortune, horror, pain…but never had he killed anybody! This was wrong. He needed to do something, but when he looked up to speak, the sight of the trainer being constantly bombarded with stones left his mouth hanging open.

The last of the stones grazed the top of the trainer's head, leaving an open gash. The trainer stood, broken. His eyes were wide and unfocused, his arms still out. A small, final puff of breath escaped from him as he fell to his knees, his final moments of life fading away. All of his Pokemon watched in pure horror and shock as they watched their trainer fall forward onto the cold stone floor. Nobody said a word. The trainer's Pokemon stared at his mangled body, horrified. The sages' Pokemon stared apathetically while the sages shook their heads, Fuzh looking down while doing so. Fuzh had to blink a few times, for if he hadn't, the others would have seen the tears forming in his eyes.

"The fool could have kept his life if he knew when to quit. We were going to get his Pokemon in the en-"

The trainer's Pokemon all roared in desperate anger. Fire flared off of Reshiram, igniting the room in living flame. The entire castle shook as Gigalith stomped the ground in an enraged tantrum. Musharna was pulsing with immense psycho power, distorting the roaring light in the room. Durant began tearing off extra chunks of steel skin as her razor of a jaw began to viciously snap. Scrafty had murder in her eyes as its teeth cracked from anger. Serperior hissed and coiled tightly with a burning hatred in his eyes. The sages and their Pokemon were caught off guard; they had thought the Pokemon had reached their limits.

"Avalanche."

"Bisharp, Night Slash."

"Crawdaunt! Guillotine! Now!" The sages' Pokemon were preparing their attacks when the first attack landed: Gigalith unleashed a vicious Rock Slide, stopping the Dark types in their tracks. Serperior lashed out and savagely sliced Crawdaunt with a critical Leaf Blade, felling the still-flinching Pokemon. The Bisharp and Tyranitar came to their senses, prepared to continue their attacks. Suddenly, the Bisharp fell to the floor, asleep. Musharna could not harm them due to their type, but could hold them still. Scrafty jumped up, holding onto the ceiling before pushing off with great force. The Tyranitar moved out of the way, but he was not the target. With great force, Scrafty landed a vicious Hi Jump Kick to the Bisharp's skull, effectively removing any fight he had left in him. The Tyranitar had a dark glimmer in his eye. He took a stance as the air became frigid. As he was preparing his attack, Durant charged in at a blinding speed. Tyranitar had no chance of dodging, but that was not the intent. The overzealous Durant moved in with a razor-sharp X-Scissor. The Tyranitar took the hit, but it was not enough to bring him down. The Durant joined the others around their fallen trainer, overflowing with every negative emotion possible. The Tyranitar leaped forward, unleashing a double-power Avalanche upon all of the trainer's Pokemon. Huge chunks of biting snow conjured above and fell heavily upon the hobbled six. The Pokemon had already been pushed to the point of fainting, but pure emotion at the loss of their trainer drove them, almost negating the heavy damage they had taken. The sages were astonished by the Pokemon's resilience.

"Tyranitar! Stone Edge!" Tyranitar could not even begin the attack. Reshiram's anger spiked its firepower. The roaring fire in the room collected above Reshiram in a massive fireball as it prepared a max power Fusion Flare. Tyranitar and the sages were stunned at the massive ball of burning energy forming in front of them. Panicking, the left and right sages withdrew their Pokemon back into their poke balls and bolted for the open door. The middle sage called for his Tyranitar to retreat as he fled for the door after the Fuzh and the other sage. Fuzh ran with a sense of cheer, as well as gloom. The trainer would not suffer anymore, but he worried it was too late. Reshiram's eyes were ablaze with blue fire as it unleashed its attack. The Fusion Flare shot forward at the now-fleeing sages and Tyranitar. The concentrated fire bomb made contact with the black stone floor in front of the doorway. A massive explosion rocked the entire castle, blasting fire along the ornate walls of the hallways. The Tyranitar wasn't fast enough to escape the room unscathed. The blast exploded upon the Tyranitar's back, incinerating the stone flesh off of him, exposing muscle and spine. Savagely wounded, while not fatal, the Tyranitar escaped death. However, the explosion was too much for the small stone room. The doorway collapsed in a large, immovable pile of black rubble, sealing the Pokemon with their fallen trainer in the cold black room.


	5. Compliance

-5-Compliance-

Fuzh stood against the wall of the hallway, trying to reclaim his breath. He looked back at the doorway only to find a giant pile of rocks and ash in the way. He remembered seeing the agony flash across the trainer's face as he died, watching each individual stone pierce through his body like it was paper being torn. Fuzh turned his gaze towards the other sages. The lower of the three was hunched over and panting, while the elder sage stood still, his eyes locked on the doorway turned debris.

"…he's dead." Fuzh gasped out, still recollecting himself.

The more stern looking sage uttered almost monotone, "He brought his fate upon himself. He had a chance to surrender his Pokemon and keep his life. He did neither, and now he has paid for it." The man turned and started walking away. "Pity. He showed some potential, too."

Fuzh was near his breaking point. "He was done. The fight was finished, we didn't have to kill him. When our Lord finds out, he-"

"He shall not, find out. Understand?" The sage glared down at him, expressing his superiority. "As far as he knows, he rebelled, attacked, and caused the collapse of the room." He continued to walk as Fuzh stared at him, his mouth slightly open but unable to form a retaliation. "Not like they can get in anyway. Look at that mess."

Fuzh's eyes widened as he clenched his fist. He was prepared to shout in anger, but the urge died down as he noticed the sage did not care. The other had followed the elder, either out of fear or respect was unknown. As they walked down the hall, their footsteps becoming inaudible, Fuzh thought about what would happen next. For so long he had wanted to voice his opinion about the actions of Team Plasma and, more specifically, their Lord N. He rose to his feet, and followed after them.

After walking through some empty hallways and glancing into several rooms, he found them sitting at a table in one of the lounging chambers. He glanced in for a second, passing the room and not going in. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to do this yet. When he looked back at the open door, he stopped and stared. His mind was made up. He walked towards the room and stood in the doorway, his hand on his belt. At first, the sages did not notice him and continued talking.

"I don't know, he seemed pretty mad. You know how he can be about things like this."

"Silence! Do you fear him now? Even if he were to come up here and complain, he wouldn't be of any trouble to dispose of. He's just another peace seeker, and it's our job to break him of that mindset, got it?"

"You've seen him fight! I can't compete with that! His Magnezone can read his mind, what the hell kind of advantage is that?"

At this point, obviously being the point of the conversation, Fuzh cleared his throat to announce his presence. Both the sages turned around startled, the younger one rising to his feet. "I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" His voice seemed calm, as if nothing was wrong.

The elder sage started before his comrade could ruin anything. "Why no, we were just talking. Is there something I can do for you? I believe your duties were ended after our encounter down in the holding chambers."

Fuzh took a few steps into the room, never taking his gaze off the man. "That they did, I'm not here on business." He reached behind him and closed the door as he walked in, making sure to emphasize the 'click' of it being completely shut. "Particularly with you, sir."

"Oh? Is there something you wish to speak of?" His voice became more serious, anticipating the worst.

"Not with him here." Fuzh nodded his head in the direction of the younger sage. He didn't wish any harm to anyone who didn't deserve it, and this man did not even possess the ability to cause someone harm. "Leave. Now."

The older man stood. "Now now, why would we need to be alone? Whatever you need to say to me, I want you to say in front of company, I am not embarrassed."

Fuzh broke in quickly after the man stopped speaking. "You will be." He then turned his eyes to the ground. "Do you remember last month? The woman who we tortured for her Pokemon? The Rapidash?"

The sage stood staring for a while, hesitant to respond. "…yes. I do. Why?"

"And the elderly man from whom we confiscated the Heracross. Him too?"

"Yes. Fuzh, where are you going with this?"

Fuzh continued his bombardment of questions. "What about the man with the Plusle and Minun? Do you remember how we tied him down for days, with no food or water?"

"Damnit Fuzh, yes. Yes I do."

Fuzh turned his face further down, his white hair covering his eyes. "Are all of those people alive today?"

The sage all in an instant realized where this conversation was going. Though he did not want to push him further, he confronted Fuzh at his own game. "To my knowledge, yes." He said almost smugly. "I believe they are." A slight grin formed on his face.

Fuzh looked back up at the man, his eyes bloodshot, glowing a faint hint of yellow. "Then why the hell is there a dead child in this castle?" Though his appearance had become offensive, he stayed calm with his voice, suppressing his rage as best he could.

"There will be two if this keeps up. I suggest you leave, you're young, you have a life to live."

"Answer me! Why did we kill him?" Fuzh was losing control, his hair began to sway though no wind existed in the room. One of the balls on his belt began to shake slightly, and a magnetic hum could be heard.

"Do not waste your life for his! You merely did your job, you knew this could happen!" The sage began to grow angry.

The environment changed entirely. The curtains covering the windows began to flow as if being blown by wind, and papers lifted up and flew around the room. The tables and furniture were slightly shaking, forcing the men to re-adjust themselves in shock. "Just because we know it can happen…does not give us the right to do it." His eyes were now a solid gold. There were slight jolts of static pulsing around his body and clothes.

The younger man panicked and began shrieking, unable to form words. The elder sage merely stood his ground and continued the conversation. "No, but it teaches that when things like this do happen, not to over react! Like you're doing now!"

Suddenly, Fuzh began to glow a bright white. There was a blinding flash, and a silhouette appeared in front of him. Fuzh's Magnezone formed out of the glow, with his Empoleon standing right in front of it. "I've put up with Team Plasma for too long…they serve no purpose but their own entertainment. Freeing Pokemon. That's garbage! If we cared about freeing Pokemon, we'd do it by releasing our own and convincing others, not using them and forcing our will." Magnezone began to hover higher, while Empoleon got an angry expression on her face. "How would you feel if someone tried to take away your Pokemon?" Magnezone's eye arched downward and his magnets turned towards the man. They shook quickly, and his belt with all his poke balls became unhinged and flew at him. The man tried to catch them in mid air but failed, grasping at nothing. His face grew stern, as Fuzh took the belt from Magnezone and held it in the air.

"Stop it! You don't know what you're doing!"

"Begging for mercy…now that you're on the other end of the punishment!" Fuzh held the belt up. "And what if your Pokemon were never returned to you?" He looked to his left at the violently shaking window. With arm reached back, he pitched the belt upwards and out the window, hearing a satisfying thud as it landed several stories below outside.

"You bitch! I'll kill you!" He charged at Fuzh, ignoring the fact he had two Pokemon at his aid. Fuzh's Magnezone glared at him and shot a slight static shock his way. The man froze in his tracks, unable to move. "That Magnezone of yours is everything…without that you're just as weak as all the people we took those Pokemon from!

Fuzh pulled his arm back and let loose a powerful punch to the mans gut. "Speaking of all those people!" The sage reared back in pain as he was hit, a bit of blood escaping his mouth. "You still need to pay for making everyone in this castle suffer." He punched him again, this time in the side of the head. "For the woman with the Rapidash…" He continued his onslaught, punching the man in the chest and the head every time he named someone. "The man with the Plusle and Minun!" Another blow. "The man with the Heracross…" A final punch to the stomach. Fuzh stepped back, a bleeding sage before him.

"Stop!" He sounded like he was whining. "Please stop…I beg you…"

Fuzh's anger controlled him, he was not himself anymore. "Why? Did you stop?" He continued stepping backwards. "Did you feed the starving man? Did you show the woman mercy?" He was now lined up with Pokemon again. "No…you didn't. Empoleon, Hydro Pump."

"No! No please!" The sage was begging now, tears in his eyes. The surprised Empoleon was hesitant, but complied. She took a deep breath and was about to exhale when Fuzh stopped her.

"No no, not him." Empoleon looked confused. "The room." When he said that, he turned to the still cowering sage in the back of the room. "Leave. Your life isn't worth this." Not wasting a second, he nodded, and made for the door with extreme speed. Empoleon obeyed faster this time, and drenched the room in water, making sure to get everything she could see wet, and compile at least two inches of water on the floor. When she was finished, she backed up and regained her breath. Fuzh stepped back toward the sage, still frozen in place, still bleeding.

"Oh. I forgot one." Fuzh leaned in, his face only an inch from the man whom he despised. "For the boy now buried in the holding chambers beneath us, who was never given a fair chance to defend himself." He backed up to where his Magnezone was, and placed a hand on it. "Empoleon, Protect." The Empoleon shrouded them in a mysterious glowing shield, positioned perfectly around them.

Fuzh's eyes began to tear up, and though he sounded a bit whiny, he spoke just as confidently. "For the child you murdered." He stood staring into his eyes, as pure fear stared back. "Burn in hell, bitch. Magnezone, Thunderbolt." The Magnezone pointed his magnets straight down and shot electricity into the water. Since the whole room had been doused, the pure energy wasted no time in traveling everywhere, being incredibly drawn to the man standing in the middle of it. He writhed and screamed out in pain, moving as much as his paralysis allowed him to. Fuzh merely stared, his eyes still glowing a bright yellow, with his hand still on Magnezone. The sage was shrieking louder than Fuzh thought possible, crying out loudly. He made no movement to help the man, or even care. While the sage still shrieked for his life, dying in the middle of the chambers he was sitting in not 5 minutes ago, Fuzh returned Empoleon to her ball. He turned towards the exit, and began walking, when he heard words being formed among the screams.

"WHYY? AHHH- WHYY WOULD YOU DOOO THISS?"

Fuzh muttered just loudly enough to hear, as he walked out the door with his Magnezone floating by his side, "…because I can."


End file.
